"Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles was one of my favorite songs when I was in high school. I loved it because of its sweet poignancy, not because I think it's kitschy. Browsing YouTube, I found a zillion video clips of the song. Here are some of the best.

First, the original:

Here, 25 years later after the original, a liver version from The Buggles (in which the opening sounds very Spandau Ballet-esque!). This version is actually very good. Uptempo!:

Here's the version by The Presidents of the United States of America, used in the film The Wedding Singer:

I like this live cover by a band called The Feeling:

Here's a remixed dance version:

This guy calls himself Duke Special. Apparently he has a little following. He sounds promising. (Here's Duke singing "Tainted Love".

"Video Killed The Radio Star" played on the theremin by Jon Bernhardt at the Ethermusic 2005 festival in Asheville, NC, August, 2005. Video shot by Jason Barile of thereminworld.com:

Finally, here's my favorite version of the bunch. I'll quote smileypen, who posted it to YouTube:

I was roaming Balboa Park before a wedding and this three piece band caught my attention. A small boy with an upright bass, a bespectacled giant with a mandolin, and an unassuming girl with a harp. They call themselves The Wrong Trousers. Talk about odd choices in musical instruments. But they have tremendous talent. Their style won't be everyone's cup of tea, but there's no denying they know their instruments and are comppletely unique. These kids are still in high school! A good size crowd had formed and they were getting lots of cash donations.

I agree. I love these kids.

On this day at foldedspace.org

2006 — Download This Song   In which I post a short music rant bolstered by a YouTube video.